Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site bbncca.ARPA Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!bbncca!rrizzo From: rrizzo@bbncca.ARPA (Ron Rizzo) Newsgroups: net.politics,net.motss Subject: New Rightist Reaganite trounced in Massachusetts Message-ID: <1119@bbncca.ARPA> Date: Wed, 7-Nov-84 13:50:13 EST Article-I.D.: bbncca.1119 Posted: Wed Nov 7 13:50:13 1984 Date-Received: Thu, 8-Nov-84 07:44:38 EST Organization: Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Cambridge, Ma. Lines: 74 DON'T BLAME US! Democrat John Kerry, former national head of Vietnam Veterans Against The War, beat ultra-conservative Republican Ray Shamie, 55-45%, this despite Shamie's enormous campaign spending (including $1 million of his own money, a heavily media-oriented campaign, & massive contribu- tions from GOP & New Right war chests), last-minute visits to Boston by Reagan on Thursday & UN delegate Jeanne Kirkpatrick on Saturday to boost him, Shamie's pretty much successful attempt to hide from the public his real political coloration (lunatic fringe), & his virtual betrothal to Reagan & Reaganism. Representative Gerry Studds, who was censured for an affair with a male congressional page, dredged up from 11 years ago by House prudes, won reelection easily over Republican Louis Crampton, 57-43%. Studds is now the FIRST OPENLY GAY PERSON to be elected to Congress. Silvio Conte, the only GOP incumbent in Massachusetts' House delega- tion, was reelected, but all the other seats went to Democrats, most of them LIBERALS, like Kerry & Studds. Reagan nearly lost Massachusetts, narrowly beating Mondale, 51.6-48.4%, or 1,117,771 to 1,051,513 with 98% of the precincts reporting. There were NO COATTAILS in this state. In fact, Reagan nearly lost his shirt! Nationally Reagan's "landslide" fell short of 60%, & of Nixon's 1972 landslide victory over McGovern. The vote, 59-41%, means less than 10% of the electorate gave Reagan victory, which is not much of a "mandate", even in terms of the inflated language of American politics. Bush alluded to this fact in his victory speech last night by pledging to represent not merely those who voted for his ticket, but "all the people". Belmont, MA, home of the national headquarters of the John Birch Soci- ety & hometown of its founder, candy millionaire Robert Welch, favored Mondale over Reagan. Two New Right kingpins BIT THE DUST in Senate races. Liberal Democrat Paul Simon took out crazy Chuck Percy (a former GOP liberal, who got "reborn" & slid to the far right) in Illinois. In Iowa, Tom Harkin, another Democratic liberal, whipped New Rightist Roger Jepsen, the principal sponsor of the notorious Family Protection Act. Reagan's coattails proved to be short: at this hour (noon, Wed.) the Republicans have GAINED ONLY 9-16 HOUSE SEATS (they needed 26 to restore the margin they enjoyed in 1981-2 when they allied with "boll weevil" Demo's to pass much Reaganite legislation), and they LOST 2 SENATE SEATS. The Democrats retain the congressional voting bloc that has successfully blocked most Reaganite bills for the last two years. 7 House races are still undecided at this time. Even worse for the Republicans, who despite postelection euphoria are beginning the bloody factional battle for party control & are already casting anxious eyes to the midterm elections, 22 GOP Senate seats will be up for reelection in 1986. Reagan thus has less than 2 years to sneak major tax increases past voters to reduce somewhat the massive federal deficit, which the GOP considers the most damag- ing issue for 1986 & which threatens to become devastating in Reagan's 2nd term. BTW, I'd like to hear from any netters interested in further reducing the number of New Rightists in the Congress, & planning for a big GOP Senate defeat in 1986. Let's continue the momentum & drive reaction- aries & bigots from office! Four More Years should be a windfall for political cartoonists, the carnival element in politics, & North American surrealism. It's going to be a wild & crazy time! Cheers, Ron Rizzo